Treatments and drugs

Antibiotics are needed to treat bacterial epididymitis and epididymo-orchitis. If the cause of the bacterial infection is an STI, your sexual partner also needs treatment. Be sure to take the entire course of antibiotics prescribed by your doctor, even if your symptoms clear up sooner, to ensure that the infection is gone.

It might take several weeks for the tenderness to disappear. Resting, supporting the scrotum with an athletic strap, applying ice packs and taking pain medication can help relieve discomfort.

Your doctor is likely to recommend a follow-up visit to check that the infection has completely cleared up. If it hasn't, your doctor might prescribe another antibiotic. However, for most people epididymitis clears up within three months.

Recent studies suggest that epididymitis is relatively common in preadolescent boys and might not always need treatment with antibiotics.

Surgery

If an abscess has formed, you might need surgery to drain it. Sometimes, all or part of the epididymis needs to be removed surgically (epididymectomy). Surgery might also be considered if epididymitis is due to underlying physical abnormalities.

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